Safety attachment for aeroplanes.



1/ G. 0. YOUNGGREEBL SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR AEYROPLANES.

Pa fcented July 11, 1911,

APPLICATION nun FEB. 15, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. c; YDUNGGRBEN. SAFETY ATTACHMENT. FOR ABBOPLANES.

APPLIGATION r'lu nrnn. 11.5; 1911. Patented July 11 191 1.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

amassv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Gnovna c. ronnoennnn, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFOIBNIA.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR AEROPLANES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July "11.1; 1911.

Application filed February 15, 1911. Serial No. 608,810.

, To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnovnu C. YOUNG GREEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles andState-of Californizuhave invented a new and useful Safety Attachment forAeroplanes, of which the following is a specification. I

In the aeroplane as now ordinarily constructed and used, no provision ismade for descending to the ground in case of accident except that bymanipulation of the planes and parts of the niachine,"a descent; may bemade by gliding. For the purpose of adding'additional safety toaeroplanes in case of accident, I have constructed a safety attach mentwhich may be fixed to the frame of the ordinary aeroplane in such amanner as not to interfere with the manipulation of the planes andcontrolling devices while in ordinary flight, and one of the mainobjects of the invention'is to construct a device of the characterdescribed havingthe general characteristics of a parachute which may be,at

-to produce a device of the-character described of simple and economicalconstruction and of. easy operation.

, elevation o Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter from.the following description.

- Referring'to the drawings which are for illustrative urposes'only:Figure 1 is a side f an aeroplane partly in section, showing attachedthereto "my device illustrating. an embodiment of my; invention.

Fig. Qis a fragmental sectional view on line zz:a2 Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is an inverted sectionalplan view ofthe device shown in Fig. 1 taken on line m 'm Fig. 1, the parachute bodybeing shown partly opened out. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on linear -m Fig. 1, showing the attachment in operative or extendedposition asused in making a descent.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the operating mechanism forthe attachment.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on a reduced scale on line a1m Fig. 4,looking in the directional view taken on line w w Fig. 4.

The aeroplane which may be of any de- .tion of the arrows. Fig. 7 is areduced ""eo sired construction is shown in the present in 5 stancecomprising a canoe-shaped body 1 formed of'canvas, built" upon a frame2, the

frame 2 affording a support for the motor 3,.

and propeller 4 which in the present instance is placed atthe forwardend ofthe body 1.

Laterally extending side planes 5 are p ro vided, mounted on shafts 6,whichare' adapted to be moved into different angular ppsitions by meansof a controlling mechanism comprising beveled gear wheels 7 on the innerend of each shaft 6 which mesh with a beveled. pinion 8 on a post 9provided with a hand-wheel 10 directly in front of the operat'ors seat11. The aeroplane-is also provided with a rudder 12 at the rear endthereof, controlled by cable 13 secured to a drum 14, operated by meansof a hand-wheel 15. 'At the forward end of the aeroplane, supported on aframework 16, is an elevating plane 17 operated by meansof a cable '18secur d to a drum 19, which in turn is 'con- ;trol'led by means of ahand-wheel 20.

The aeroplane is provided with supporting wheels 24 mounted in yokes 25which have an extension 26 slidably mountedin a hollow rod 27. Springs28 are interposed between the end of the hollow rod 27 and the yoke 25toact as cushions and reduce. the shock of contact with the groundwhenthe aeroplane alights. Runners 30 are also provided, secured to theforward end of the frame of the aeroplane in any suitable man-' ner. toassist in protecting the aeroplane d ur in the operation of alighting. i

For the purpose ofniounting the safety attachment to, an aeroplane ofthe. form above described, a cross-bar 3 5 is used, hav

ing its ends secured in any suitable manner to the sidepieces 36 of theframe 2 of the aeroplane. Mounted on the cross-bar 35 is a mastorstandard 37, inthe present instance round in cross-section, and bracedby" means of brackets or arms 38 which .are secured to the cross-bar 35.The upper portion of the standard 37 is provided with a circular flange39 to'which is'secured the upper ends of rods 40 and 41. The rod 40extends from the flange 39 to the forward end of the aeroplane body 1and is secured thereto by means of a bracket 42. The rod too 1 supportedat its central portion by means of ll. extends to the rear end of theaeroplane body 1 and is secured thereto by means of a bracket 43 similarto bracket 42. Mpunted to slide verticallyon standard 37 is it sleeve stlt provided at its lower end with ears 15, 46, 47, 4-8 to which arepivoted rods 49, 50, 51 and 52 respectively. The rods 49, 50, 51 and 52are each pivotally attached at their outer ends, as shown at 53, to acorner of a rectangular sheet 5& of canvas or other suitableinaterialcomprising the parachute body or member. hen the parachutemember is in inoperative position as shown in Fig. 1, of the drawing,rods 49 and 51 lie parallel; and close to the rods and 52-, the sheet54; being the flange 39 on the standard 37 to which. it is attached-inany suitable manner, and the fullness or body of-"the sheet is foldedbetween the side portions 55 and 56 (see Fig. 3) into two'f'o'lds orflaps57 and 58, the fold 5? lying between fd e'side 55 of the sheet andthe standard 3%"and the fold 58lying be tween the side 56 0f the sheetand the standard 37. When in the folded position just described; theparts lie as shown in Fig. 2

and are prevented from opening out by the force of the wind by means oftwo reinforcing strips of canvas 59 which extend along one line of eachifold or flap 57 and 58 and which are secured to the canvas asillustrated at 60. Each strip 59 is provided at intervals with hinges 61which are placed between the strip 59 and the canvas sheet 54-. One leaf6901f each spring is secured to the sheet and strip '59, the leaf 63being secured only to the strip 59 and extending over the fold in thecanvas, in which position it is held by means of a spring 64. Means arei irovided for raising the parachute member into extended position (asshown in Fig. l of the drawing) which consist of an endless cable 65which. operates over sheaves 66 and 67 mounted in eyes formed inenlarged portions at the lower and upper end respectively of thestandard 37. The ends of the cable 65 are secured to an car 44, on theupper portion of the sleeve 44.

With the device in the position shown in Fig. '1, being the position inwhich the device carried during flight, a minimum amount of resistanceto the aii. is attained as the sides Maud 56 of the sheet 5-1L arepractically flat and the folds in the sheet Mare protected by the canvasstrips 59.

Should ai'tcident happen so that the acroplane is crippled, the safetydevice is operated by pullingdowi'iwardly on the runof the cable next tothe operator, which raises the sleeve l l: on the standard 37 therebyraising the arms ll-t), 50, and 52, which during the raising operationalso swing outwardly opening out the folds in the sheet, until thesleeve 44: strikes the flange 3 at the upper end of the mast, at whichpoint the sheet 54- is stretched into the position indicated in Figs. 6and 7, the arms aft), 50, 51 and 52 extending diagonally from the mastto the corners of the sheet as indicated in Fig. 6. Vhen in thisposition the sheet 54; acts as a parachute, the aiebeing pocketed on theunder side of the sheet, thereby permitting a gradual descent of theaeroplane to the ground.

lVhat I claim is 2 1. In combination with an aeroplane, a

mast, a sheet of fabric having its central portion supported on saidmast, means for holdingsaid fabric folded into substantially aflatvertical triangular fprm with one side of the triangle at the bottom,the plane of said folded triangular fabric lying fore and aft and forraising the corners of said fabric to unfold the same, and holding thecorners in definite position to producea substantially horizontal sheetof fabric capable of acting as a parachute when unfolded, the saidfabric when folded in triangular form in a vertical plane acting topromote lateral stability.

2. In combinationwith an aeroplane, a mast, a sleeve on said mast,laterally movable arms pivoted to said sleeve, a sheet of fabric havingits central portion supported on said mast and having its cornerssecured to the ends of said arms forming two fiat side-portions, theends of said sheet being adapted to form folds in said sheet between theside portions when in closed position, and means for raising said sleeveto'place the sheet in extended position.

3. In combination with an aeroplane, a

mast, a sleeve vertically movable on said.

mast, laterally movable arms pivoted to said sleeve, a sheet of fabrichavingits central portion supported on said mast and having its cornerssecured to the outer ends of said arms forming flat side portions, theends of means for yieldingly holding said flaps over the folded,portions, and means for raising and lowering said sleeve.

4. In combination with an aeroplane, a mast a sleeve vertically movableon said mast, laterally movable arms pivoted to said sleeve, a sheet offabric having its central portion supported on said mast and having itscorners secured to the outer ends of said arms forming flat sideporti0ns,.the ends of saidsheet being adapted to form folds in saidsheet between the Hat side portions when in closed position, a pair offlaps secured to said sheet, each lap extending over the adjacent foldedportion of the sheet, means for ieldingly holding said flaps .I'\ oi thefolded portions, said means consisting said sheet between the flat sideportions and and lowering said sleeve.

hinge, and means for raising and lowering position.

.corners secured .to the outer ends of said of a plurality of hingeseach having one leaf secured to said sheet, springs on each said sleeveto place the sheet in extended 5. In combination jwith an aeroplane, amast, rods extending from the top of said mast to the front and rear ofsaid aeroplane respectively, a sleeve vertically movable on said mast,laterally movable arms pivoted to said sleeve, a sheet of fabric havingits central portionsecured to said mast and its arms forming fiat sideportions, the ends of said sheet being adapted to form folds insupported on said-rods when in closed position, a pair of. flaps securedto said'sheet, each flap extendingover the folded portion, means foryieldingly holding said flaps over the folds in the sheet, and means forraising 6. In combination with an aeroplane, a

mast, rods extending from the top of said mast to the front and rearofsaid aeroplane a pair of flaps secured to said sheet, each flapextending over the folded portion, means for. yieldingly holding saidflaps over the folds in the sheet, and means for raising and loweringsaid sleeve, said means consisting of a sheave at the top and bottom ofsaid mast, and a cable having its ends secured to said sleeve operableover said sheaves.

In testimony whereof, I-havehereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 16th day of January, 1911. V

GROVER o. YO'UNGGREEN.

In presence of FRANK L. A. GRAHAM, P. H. SHELTON.

